Thursday, February 26, 2015

....crosses, rosaries and crucifix necklaces......belts and all types of romantic clothing to wear with them. WE.HAVE.THEM.

....gossamer fabrics and lighter than air clothing to mix with your heavier fabrics like linen......from the whimsical to the practical (yes, I said practical)Romance is in the air....especially at Tattered Rose.P.S. I have a story to tell....stay tuned.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

"Bohemian" is such an over-used word now so we said it in French (La Bohême)It describes the romantic gypsy vibe we have going on at Tattered Rose............that nonchalant way of dressing that evokes the feminine, romantic spirit inside many of us...Ooh la la.......so many beauties in the shop now, as always....more to come.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

No one knows for sure if time travel is actually possible....I like to think it is and am often inspired by the past, with the desire to bring some of that old-world romance into the present through my shop. I much prefer wearing clothing that isn't all shiny & new.....it is so much more appealing (to me) if it looks like it has stayed beautifully intact for at least a few decades, if not centuries.Tattered Rose is the culmination of many years of creating, exploring and implementing the very romantic notion that the past is somehow a little more intriguing than where we are right now. There were no smart phones or computers at the turn of the last century and yet, somehow, women managed to keep in touch with the latest fashions from Paris. It required more creative methods which, to me, made it more meaningful than simply Googling something on the Internet, like we do now. It also meant that not everyone had those up-to-the-minute fashions...only those who were resourceful enough to track them down and buy them.......and the idea of one-of-a-kind is the basis of Tattered Rose, the boutique.It is evident in the clothing, jewellery and accessories we sell that we love clothing from times gone by. From the Victorian time traveller to the modern urban romantic......we are not just selling clothing...we hope that with a little bit of magic, we are also selling dreams and the belief that anything is possible.Happy weekend to all.....may your dreams come true.With Love,Tattered Rose♥

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Tattered Rose began in Winnipeg in 1999 as a tiny shop filled with romantic, pretty, feminine, vintage-inspired clothing and accessories.....the Fashion World has toyed with this style off and on over the years and this Spring, it's back: Romantic, pretty, ladylike fashion.

So we are "in"........woo-hoo! And our shop, now located in Edmonton, Alberta is huge and even more enchanting than ever!

Come in and have a gander at our frothy layers of tulle & lace....and we'll show you how they can be worn with your existing wardrobe.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Tattered Rose has been carrying this beautiful Canadian-made line of clothing for about 6 years!My how the time flies....from the first time I saw the line, tried it out with a very small collection to now, with one of the largest and most carefully chosen collection (that suits our store and clientele) from Sympli the Best.Being a clothing designer, I am perhaps a little more discerning when it comes to what styles are sold at Tattered Rose. For one thing, I like the more dramatic, romantic, feminine pieces and like to mix these with some of the more basic items.Will Sympli the Best ever be known as "Steampunk" style? Naw, I don't think so but it sure is interesting, practical and above all else, beautifully designed....and made right here in our own country.Available in MANY colours, if we don't have it in stock, we will gladly order it for you in the size and colour you want!New arrivals this week....already priced and hung up for you to see.Escape the winter blues by visiting Tattered Rose.....I am certain that you will not be disappointed!

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Wild rose......tea rose......the rose......tattered rose. No matter what we call ourselves, the message will always be the same:

"Be yourself and dress how you want to"It's that
simple, really. I personally do not want to follow the crowd and wear
only what is deemed "in style" that season. I would rather build a
wardrobe of clothing items that mix with everything in my closet that
make me feel wonderful.....not someone's version of what I should wear
but what I want to wear.

Tattered
Roseis about vintage-inspired apparel, jewellery, accessories and home
decor for the modern urban romantic-minded gypsy. Artisan,
one-of-a-kind and beautifully fresh.

Monday, January 12, 2015

When it comes to fashion, women have many options. We can follow the crowd and only wear what is deemed "acceptable" because that's what everyone else is wearing and what the designers and magazines tell us is "in", we can be pioneers and wear totally out-there clothing that doesn't conform to anyone's idea of fashion but our own, we can wear sweats 24/7 and ignore fashion all together, OR we can forge our own style and wear the kind of clothing that suits our bodies, lifestyle and taste without looking too strange to others.

I choose the latter. I am inspired by trends but rarely follow them unless they happen to coincide with my personal style, which is somewhere between urban romantic and grown-up bohemian with a hint of classic. I refuse to wear mature-lady clothing and if I am lucky enough to live to 100, you will always find me in clothing that I love and believe that I can wear without looking ridiculous, not necessarily what is appropriate for my age.

If you are interested in becoming your own style guru and need a little encouragement, Tattered Rose offers plenty of ideas and advice. We love working with our customers to help them find exactly what suits them. Then, we hopefully give you the incentive to wear what your heart wants you to wear.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Have you ever heard the expression "on gossamer wings" and wondered what it really means? Me too....so I looked it up when I was inspired to write about sheer fabrics this morning, the kind of sheer fabrics that would make just about any woman's heart flutter at the mere thought of wearing such a delicate, light, and airy fabric. I know I swoon when I see light as air tulle, organza or soft lace and that is why I often incorporate these fabrics into my clothing designs for Tattered Rose as well as the purchases I make for the shop. I want to share this aesthetic with my lovely customers so that they too can feel the femininity of floating cobwebs when they wear a sheer blouse or dress (with a slip* of course)Often associated with fairies, gossamer and tattered clothing is about escape, flight, and fantasy.....the stuff dreams are made of and we all need dreams.I sometimes want to escape the humdrum of reality, even if it is only for a moment or a few hours while wearing something floaty and filmy, lacey or gossamer. If you would too, I know where to find some of the most beautiful clothing to fit this description.....yes, right here in Edmonton at Tattered Rose.

*Slip......A garment worn to camouflage the body usually worn underneath another sheer garment.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

This time of year may be a bit depressing for some of us (me included) but I take comfort in the idea of Spring and all of the beautiful pieces we will have in the shop.....romantic & pretty!I cannot show any of the one-of-a-kind items we have recently added to our inventory but I am so excited to share then with our customers......so you'll just have to come in and see them in person♥

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Nothing says "pretty" like gossamer fabrics, tulle & lace. This coming Spring (yes, that is where our head is at) watch for the most romantic, the prettiest, loveliest clothing and art-to-wear you've seen in a long time.

We are not holding back this time.....we think that romance is needed right now and since that has always been our motto, it will be easy!

Pretty colours like faded blue, soft rose, lavender and French grey to name a few. You're not into soft colours? Never worry about that because we always have black and brown and other dark colours available all year long!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Holiday Hours*Thursday December 18 11-4Friday December 19 11-4Saturday December 20 11-3Wednesday December 24 11-1Saturday December 27 11-2Saturday January 3 11-2Regular Hours thereafter.*(we are closed on the days not listed)

Wishing all of our customers, past, present
& future a peaceful and love-filled Christmas/Hanukkah/Other with
enough joy in your hearts to give some of it back to others.

It is not how many gifts we buy or receive but the love & compassion
we show to others that really matters. Even if this is not the easiest
time of year for you (and that includes myself) because you are missing
someone you love or for what ever reason, try to make the best of things
and know that someone out there is thinking about you and loves you.

Love is the most important thing in the world.....love and cats. You can never go wrong loving a cat or two (yes, dogs too!)

Thursday, December 11, 2014

One day last week, it seemed like it was going to be a very slow day so I decided to start changing the store around (again)About 1/2 hour later, when the store was in complete disarray, customers came in non-stop until almost closing.....all I could do was apologize for the mess, which was met with exclamations from these lovely customers of "what mess?"I could take that 2 ways.....either the store always looks messy OR only I know where everything is supposed to be and no one notices that it is a pile of messy.....I'll assume the latter.On that note, I leave you with this thought to ponder:If you love ruffled and/or lace and/or velvet clothing.....what's stopping you? Come on in to Tattered Rose....we'll fix you up with some gorgeous, delightful, feminine, beautiful, romantic clothing to wear now and when you go on your gypsy adventure.....oky doky?

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

This is the time of year when we are all
bombarded by emails, advertising, signs and posts from retailers, hoping
to gain your business for Christmas gift-buying. It places us (me) in a
rather awkward position because I AM a retailer but I am not fond of excess commercialism, which seems to abound during the holiday season.

So, I would like to quietly tell you, our wonderful customers (past,
present & future) that Tattered Rose has, as always, a lovely
selection of gifts and helpful ideas for those who are not quite sure
what to buy for that special person.

We hope that you are
enjoying the weather at the moment and that you find what you are
looking for..........until we see you, be at peace. Don't worry about
expectations that this holiday season places on you, just do the best
you can and find happiness in small things.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Being out today in -8 degrees wasn't so bad...the sun was shining and there was no wind to speak of....I can handle winter when it is like this.

We know this is a busy time of year for most....thinking about the holidays which are fast approaching, buying gifts for our loved ones, anticipating a trip we might be taking or an evening out we have planned...

We at Tattered Rose have been busy too, behind the scenes, making sure that the store is well stocked with beautiful gifts and pretty outfits for your holiday outings.

This season we are in love with velvet again. Sure, we carry velvet clothing all the time but this year, we were inspired to create a limited edition of unusually romantic, vintage-inspired dresses and coats for you to wear when you gather with family & friends or bring in the New Year.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Many times over the years customers have commented that Tattered Rose reminds them ofStevie Nicksor that she should shop at Tattered Rose. What a dream fulfillment that would be....not only to meet one of my favourite women, but for her to perhaps buy something from my shop!

Yesterday, one of my good customers was in, after being to the Fleetwood Mac show in Edmonton. She described some of the outfits Stevie wore on stage and I wished I could have been there to see her in person.

This customer shared a story that Stevie told the audience....about how, when she was just starting out (with the band) she visited a shop called "The Velvet Underground" where she was in awe of the beauty and abundance oflace and velvet and displays of paper roses as well as the beautiful clothing. (Many singers of the day purchased their clothing from this shop)

Stevie went on to say that when she stood at the entrance to this most beautiful shop, she knew that one day she would be back and be able to buy anything she wanted....and that day came not too long after.

My customer kindly told me that Tattered Rose, has the same effect on her and that my shop is HER version of the Velvet Underground and a place where dreams come true.

Just another example of how I love my customers....I learn so much from them and they share their stories with me and inspire me......I only hope that I inspire them a little too♥

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Capelet from the one-of-a-kind Couture line available only at Tattered Rose.....sumptuous textures to enchant you and those around you.................plus a lot of other stuff, like fitted, lace-trimmed t-shirts, velvet & lace coats, and so much more.......Paris awaits you, my Tattered Rose pretties♥

Monday, November 17, 2014

It seems like ages ago that Tattered Rose worked on this photo shoot with Breanne Marie (the wonderful photographer) and the beautiful model, Carlee, who was gracious enough to fill in at the last minute when the photo shoot almost didn't happen due to cancellations by the the makeup artist & model.

We fought hard to make it happen in spite of all obstacles that day and I think the results are beautiful! Thank you Breanne & Carlee for working on this shoot with me (Tattered Rose)

It has finally been published in "Dark Beauty" magazine, Issue #38 (see it online for free here):